


Stolen Moments

by nerdlife4eva



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Banana Conan, Canon Universe, Carnival, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluffy Date, Inspired by Fanart, KaishinBigBang2019, Kid Cat - Freeform, Kissing, M/M, Selfies, Teasing, both are carnival prizes and are adorable, let them have time away from their drama please, they are in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-26 15:45:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19008868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/pseuds/nerdlife4eva
Summary: This moment contains all moments - C.S. LewisIn the midst of their hectic double lives, Kaito insists on proving that Shinichi deserves a real date.





	Stolen Moments

**Author's Note:**

> This is my fic created for the [Kaishin Big Bang](https://kaishinbigbang.tumblr.com) on Tumblr, hosted by the always amazing [katsukifatale](https://katsudons.co.vu). 
> 
> I was paired with the absolutely incredible and astoundingly talented [airu27](https://airu27.tumblr.com). This idea is ALL theirs, and if you want to see why I was so inspired, please go check out the art [HERE!!](https://airu27.tumblr.com/post/185214359754/stolen-moments-fic-by-n3rdlif343va-read-it-on-ao3)
> 
> I'm newer to this fandom, so if you want to come talk about Kaisin with me, please come find me on Tumblr or Twitter!  
> [NeRdLife4Eva Twitter](https://twitter.com/NeRdLife4Eva)  
> [n3rdlif343va Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/n3rdlif343va)

In hindsight, the idea of a date in the middle of a chaotic carnival had not been Kaito’s best, despite the amount of consideration at the heart of the suggestion. The venue offered food and excitement, plus a throng of people entrenched in their own fun, completely oblivious to anyone who wasn’t a part of their own groups. Here, in the midst of colorful lights and an even more colorful crowd, they could fade into anonymity. They could become just another set of faces in the mayhem, no longer a famous detective or “that guy who sort of looks like Kid.”

If those who accused Kaito of the latter only knew the truth.

Kaito smirked to himself, rocking back on his heels and gazing up at the flashing bulbs of a roller coaster’s camera. It had only been in the last year that people had really started to comment on his physical appearance and the similarities between Kid’s magic and his own. No one knew for sure though, except of course the man whose arrival he was so anxiously anticipating. 

Planning for quality time together was more difficult than most of the heists his alter ego executed on a near weekly basis. Heists always came with a certain level of improvisation, no matter how insane that concept might be to his boyfriend. Dates were a different story though, especially dates where they weren’t just hiding out behind closed doors. 

_Those_ kinds of dates were easier, but Kaito had made an adamant argument that Shinichi deserved more than hidden rendezvouses. That argument had led him here, standing in the middle of a brightly colored swirl of activity waiting for the person he had fallen head over heels for. 

People shuffled around Kaito, their chatter and scuffling feet adding to the soundtrack of the removed world of carnival life. Kaito let himself get lost in it, his senses dulling as he relaxed into the rhythm of life without obligations. These people weren’t hiding secret identities or harboring the soul-deep need to complete their father’s unfulfilled quest. They existed in the here and now, unencumbered by the lingering threat of a greater evil around them. What Kaito wouldn’t give to trade places with them, to go back to a time when his life had seemed dull and lacking adventure.

Yet, if he could go back, he knew in the deepest parts of his heart that he would never accept the offer, solely because he would never take a chance at losing what this harried life had brought him. More specifically, _who_ it had brought him. Alone in his own thoughts, Kaito let his vision blur to an unfocused stare at the sky above him.

 

Music poured from the booths surrounding Shinichi’s every side, making the steady ache in his temples throb in time with the heightened basslines. The day had been long, filled to the brim with bad guys executing horrible plans, none of them hard to stop but all of them annoying just the same. Tedious, Shinichi had called them before leaving behind a trail of angered faces, each unable to retaliate due the ties restraining them from further wrongdoing. Leaving behind the final cleanup of the riffraff was a luxury Shinichi didn’t take lightly, and it continued to amuse him that all of those angry faces had only seen a child who was too critical and cocky for his own good.

Now though, Shinichi was happily in his own skin, weaving his way through the crowd inhabiting his boyfriend’s chosen location for their date. _A carnival_ , Shinichi huffed for not the first time that day, _it had to be a carnival_.

Not that the activity was necessarily _bad_ , it was merely Shinichi’s gut reaction to any place which recalled similarities to the day of his life’s undoing. Even with his painful bias, he had agreed to meet Kaito here, hoping that he could erase the sting of the past with the light of his present. His boyfriend had a way of achieving this goal, even when Kaito wasn’t aware that was he doing it.

Spotting Kaito standing silently, eyes focused on a giant gem topping the carousel, Shinichi felt the rest of his stressed hesitation drain away as he moved more directly towards his love.

“It’s not a real jewel, you know.” Shinichi smirked when Kaito whipped around to grin at him. Nodding at the bright pink plastic gemstone positioned overtop of the carousel, Shinichi took a step forward to encroach on Kaito’s personal bubble. “That plastic imitation is more disco ball than rare stone. Not worth the costume change.” Nudging Kaito with his shoulder, Shinichi let his smirk slide into a more genuine smile.

“You like my costume changes,” Kaito replied easily, sliding his fingers from the curve of Shinichi’s elbow and over the palm of his hand. “I distinctly remember you saying you adore a man in white.”

Tilting his head to the side, Shinichi tapped the index finger of his free hand to his jaw. “Hmmm, that doesn’t sound like me… maybe I left those thoughts in my other body.” He snorted when Kaito elbowed him in the side, his cheeks feeling warm when Kaito stepped further into his space.

Although Kaito had learned to adjust to Shinichi and his ever-rotating forms, there was something inherently indulgent about having his boyfriend standing at his eye level. When Conan was around, trying to blow Kaito up or simply feigning a lack of concern for Kaito’s safety, he had to remind himself there was a reason he bantered so easily with a child. Inside of that child was the man he had grown to love, a man of resilience and unfathomable strength, whose loyalty and care for those around him astounded Kaito on a daily basis.

Having Shinichi here though, standing with one hand brushing imaginary amused tears from his eyes and the other wrapped firmly between Kaito’s own fingers was enough to leave Kaito feeling a little breathless. They never had enough time together in these forms, just two men without alternative lives who could love each other without time limits. Their life, their time together, always came with expiration dates and it was enough to drive Kaito mad if he dwelled on their circumstances for too long.

Spotting the slight frown turning down his favorite set of lips, Shinichi reached for Kaito’s cheek, grazing the beautiful sharpness of Kaito’s cheekbone with his thumb. If he was a more poetic man he would craft stunning lines to describe Kaito’s unmatched splendor. Unfortunately, his vocabulary was more practical than flowery so he had to settle for more direct declarations. “You’re beautiful,” he chose to say, loving the way the compliment brought the pinkness of Kaito’s cheeks to the surface. 

“And you’re ridiculous,” Kaito responded, leaning further into Shinichi’s hand despite his contradicting tone. The delicate touch of Shinichi’s fingertips made Kaito wish they had chosen a more private spot for their date, and he was prepared to kick himself later for his poor planning.

Humming, Shinichi admired the way Kaito’s eyes fluttered, never quite closing but still reacting to the brush of Shinichi’s knuckles over his face. He wanted to pull Kaito away, find a darkened corner where Shinichi could give Kaito a reason to fall further into his touch and drag them both into affection which would send them running for more secluded spaces. But Kaito had planned this date, and although Shinichi would never be excited about the concept of rides and games the way he had been before his life had been so drastically changed, he could appreciate what Kaito was trying to do.

Proper dates, Kaito had declared over their last bit of time together. A change in their ordinary plan, in which they remained devoid of clothing with room service to deliver a long-awaited dinner or instant noodles slurped straight from the cup in Kaito’s empty kitchen. Spewing arguments about doing this the correct way and treating Shinichi right, Kaito had backed himself into a proverbial corner. Shinichi had agreed to participate in any activity Kaito suggested, but he had refused to acknowledge that their past version of dating needed any sort of adjustment.

Steeling himself against the irresistible gravity of Shinichi’s existence, Kaito took a small step back and squeezed Shinichi’s hand to reassure himself that Shinichi was truly there. “What shall we do first? Food? Games? Rides?” Feeling his eagerness returning, Kaito bounced on his toes waiting for Shinichi’s answer.

A low growl rumbled from Shinichi’s stomach, making him wonder how his own body could betray him so horribly. Cupping a hand over his belly button, Shinichi tried to remain neutral when he cleared his throat. “I guess I could eat,” he said, refusing to look up at Kaito whose shaking laughter was vibrating through the hand he was still holding. Lifting his eyes to glare at Kaito, Shinichi tried to hold his look even when Kaito tugged him closer by the front of his shirt.

“You’re cute when you’re grumpy,” Kaito teased, sneaking a finger between Shinichi’s buttons to trail his knuckle over any bare skin he could reach. If it hadn’t been for Shinichi’s loudly demanding stomach, he would have suggested the tunnel of love first.

The desire to get Shinichi alone in the dark was a constant thread of need that ran through Kaito’s veins, nearly derailing all of his most innocent intentions at every turn. As it was though, he felt required to be a good boyfriend and feed Shinichi to wipe the disgruntle look off of his face. Stealing a quick kiss from Shinichi’s lips, his smile twitched when he heard Shinichi whisper “thief.”

_This is too simple_ , Shinichi thought. Letting himself be pulled along the fairway, hand snuggly tucked in Kaito’s, Shinichi marveled at the existence of this moment in his life. He felt so normal, listening as Kaito excitedly rattled off their options for dinner, their presence drawing no attention or alarm from any of the people around them.

Tomorrow, he would return to hiding behind a smaller mask, determined to get one step closer to erasing his need for it altogether. Tonight though, he would let himself indulge in Kaito’s warmth, in the way his free hand waved as he pointed at each food stall, the way the world felt narrow with only room for the two of them. Yanking Kaito back to him, Shinichi chuckled at the startled and adorable yelp leaping from Kaito’s chest. “Let’s try it all,” he suggested.

Shinichi’s voice was low and conspiratorial in a way that he normally reserved for more intimate situations. The effect on Kaito’s body was instantaneous, the need swelling inside of him as Shinichi took a step back to cackle.

Riling Kaito up was so easy and Shinichi loved seeing his own desires reflected in the shimmer of Kaito’s eyes. Pretending that he didn’t was part of their game, and Shinichi turned toward the closest stand in order to keep his own composure. There was only so long that he could tease Kaito before he lost the grip on his own control in the process.

Wrapping an arm around Shinichi’s waist, Kaito tilted his head down to press quick kisses along the exposed column of Shinichi’s neck. If games were what Shinichi was looking for, Kaito could certainly oblige. “Let’s start with something really… filling,” Kaito whispered, biting his lip so as to not snort at his own ridiculousness. It was almost unavoidable when Shinichi did so instead.

The sound was immediately followed by another loud protest from Shinichi’s stomach and Kaito squeezed his hip before dropping his arm. “Alright, truce… for now… let’s feed you before you go all grumpy toddler on me.” 

“I-” Shinichi’s protest was silenced by another stolen kiss and this time he let his glare linger as Kaito stepped forward to order the beginnings of their massive dinner.

* * *

 

 

Mistakes had been made. Kaito leaned on the table covered with empty trays wondering exactly why they had been convinced that so much food was necessary. The only dishes they had left unpurchased were those containing his nemesis, the fish, and Kaito was thankful Shinichi had sparred him especially now that his stomach was rolling with a painful fullness.

“We’re going to have to wait on rides,” Kaito groaned, unbelieving of his own eyes when Shinichi happily bounced from his seat and started clearing their mess. Usually his appetite could out eat Shinichi on any given day, and he paused in his thought, studying his boyfriend carefully.

“Did you eat today? Besides now, I mean.” he asked the question carefully, knowing that Shinichi would bristle if Kaito came across as babying him. It was a feeling and reaction they both shared, yet they took turns pressing each other’s boundaries on the issue every day.

Avoiding eye contact, Shinichi desperately searched the area around them for a change in subject. There was no way he was going to tell Kaito that he wasn’t sure when his last full meal had been, knowing that the topic could take an ugly turn at a moment’s notice. Time together was too precious to be spent arguing and Shinichi was determined to avoid this conversation at all costs.

Eyes landing on a game boasting tiny goals and marginally sized soccer balls, Shinichi’s lips twisted into a smile as he grabbed the sleeve of Kaito’s shirt and dragged him from the bench. “Come on, let me win you something.” He heard Kaito’s defeated grumble, laughing when Kaito draped heavily over his back as they moved toward the game.

“Step right up! Step right up! Easiest game at the carnival, folks! All you have to do is kick this ball into that goal! Do it twice, the prize is nice!”

Pulling a bill from the folds on his wallet, Shinichi slapped it on the counter in front of the sweaty looking man, returning his sneer with a confident smile of his own. “We have a player!” the man yelled, lining up two soccer balls on the ground before stepping back. “If you get one in, you get a whistle,” his fat hand jangled a cord decorated with colorful plastic whistles. “If you get two in, you get to pick yourself a banana. Fashioned after the most famous kid detective in the world!”

Blinking, Shinichi found himself staring, the horror rolling over him as Kaito’s laughter burst delighted and loud behind him. Bananas lined the stall, each decked out in an all too familiar blue suit with plastic glasses adhered to their earless heads. Behind him, Kaito continued to roar with laughter, wheezing his requests for a banana louder than should have ever been allowed.

Barely able to stifle his amusement long enough to speak, Kaito threw an arm over Shinichi’s shoulder, tipping his face close to Shinichi’s ear. “Do your tiny magical kicking shoes come in big kid sizes?” He snorted over his own joke, slumping sideways when Shinichi elbowed him. “Come on, baaabbbyyy,” Kaito drew the word out just to make Shinichi’s blush deepen. “I really want a ba-n-a-na.” The last word stuttered around Kaito’s laughter as he dodged another attempted hit from Shinichi.

Not willing to be shaken from his task, Shinichi narrowed his eyes toward the tiny goals. He compressed the soccer ball with his foot, noting its slight flatness and slightly smaller size. If Kaito wanted a stupid banana, Shinichi was going to win the stupid banana with its stupid suit and all.

Drowning out the noise behind him, Shinichi let it become an ambient rumble as he concentrated on the goal. Taking into account the distance, diameter of the open space and the circumference of the ball, he adjusted his stance and took a step back. With a clean kick, he sent the ball sailing straight through, a small thrill of pride shooting through him at the shocked look on the carnie’s face.

Smirking over his shoulder at his now quieted boyfriend, Shinichi lined up for his second shot. With a powerful whistle, the ball flew home, smacking the hanging plastic cloth behind the hole with a satisfying _thwack_.

“I’ll take that banana now,” Shinichi commented, shrugging his shoulder and examining his fingernails to give off an air of uncaring. Inside, he was silently celebrating, loving the mix of awe and confusion on all of the faces around him.

A Conan banana appeared in front of his face and knocked all of the cool right out of Shinichi’s existence. Realizing that he had merely played himself, he snatched it begrudgingly from the hands offering the offensive yellow mass and shoved it into the chest of his elated boyfriend.

“Well hello Banana Conan!” Kaito teased, bracing the banana against his hips with his hands linked behind it. “Do you want to come home and cuddle with me?” He lost his composure when Shinichi let out a long, pained groan. “Stunning likeness isn’t it?” Kaito taunted, turning the banana to wave it in Shinichi’s face.

Catching sight of Shinichi’s unimpressed frown, Kaito tucked the banana under his arm and curled his fist in the front of Shinichi’s shirt to pull him forward for a thank you kiss. He loved that they never hesitated to be physically demanding with each other, taking full advantage of his grip on Shinichi’s shirt to secure another kiss. “Now it’s my turn to win _you_ something,” he promised, feeling Shinichi’s mildly interested hum against his lips. “Just tell me what you want…”

Thousands of ideas sprang to Shinichi’s mind, none of them having anything to do with cheaply created carnival prizes. If he could’ve chosen anything, it would have been his first choice that this could be his life forever. No disguises, no grand plans to take down evil organizations, just himself and Kaito living life without having to live two of them at the same time.

That was a fantasy though, and not the kind that left him staring at his ceiling in need of a shower on nights when Kaito was nowhere to be found. It was the bittersweet kind, the kind of dream that was so close to coming true and yet still so far away that Shinichi could feel the longing lodging deep inside his heart. Begging his mind to stay in the moment, Shinichi pulled back from Kaito’s tempting closeness and carefully eyed the game booths around them.

A wicked smile parted Shinichi’s lips and Kaito felt the sudden dread sink into the bottom of his stomach. Before he could ask, he was being spun around, a finger hooked in his belt loop guiding him in a circle until he came face-to-face with his own dreaded likeness.

The oversized cat had no right to look so cute in his patented look and Kaito pouted as Shinichi snickered beside him.

“Kid Cat,” Shinichi smirked, tapping his fingers on Kaito’s hip in time with the overhead music. “What I wouldn’t give to own one of those.” He really, really didn’t want to explain to anyone why he had gained sudden possession of such a ridiculous stuffed animal, but his eventual awkwardness was absolutely worth the unadulterated terror currently painting his boyfriend’s face.

Shrugging, Shinichi pulled his hand away from Kaito and shoved it in his pocket. “That is if you think you can win it.” Shinichi watched another guy fail to coax the metal ring around spinning puzzle of bent metal, a harsh buzzing noise drilling into his brain as the guy’s girlfriend pouted next to him. “It looks really, _really_ hard.” Knowing he was laying it on extremely thick, Shinichi tried to look innocent when Kaito pulled a bill from his own wallet and shoved it into the hands of the way-too-delighted woman behind the counter.

“Nothing to it,” Kaito growled, watching someone else fail miserably within the first seconds of their attempt. He had stolen precious artifacts out from under the noises of some of the best detectives in the world, including the pompous one standing next to him. If he couldn’t complete the task of simply winding a metal ring off a spinning knot of similar makeup, then he should consider himself ready for retirement.

Shoving his banana into Shinichi’s arms, Kaito winked at him before turning to concentrate on the task at hand. He licked his lips in determination, his bottom lip tucked into his teeth as he began to work.

Realistically, it should not have been so unabashedly attractive to watch Kaito concentrate on a game designed to make people fail. In the same way Shinichi had questioned his sanity over his initial attraction to his law-breaking boyfriend, he was now contemplating the sanity of his entire libido. The line between Kaito’s brows furrowed as he concentrated, the pink of his lip turning white against the assault of his teeth. Shinichi swallowed hard as he felt his body reacting to the gorgeous way Kaito moved, his hands and upper body fluid as he worked the metal ring up and off of the twisted puzzle.

Dropping the metal wand onto the counter, Kaito raised his arms to acknowledge the cheers of everyone around him. He felt mildly bad for the dejected looking guy whose girlfriend was predatorily eying Kaito as he celebrated, and quickly threw his arm over Shinichi’s shoulder to display his own relationship status. “Pick your prize, detective,” Kaito murmured, completely forgetting in his moment of celebration that Shinichi had already declared what he wanted.

He was painfully reminded as the devilish half-smile quirked up the side of Shinichi’s mouth, his steady hand pointing to the cat that would surely haunt Kaito forever. Not one to let his fear show openly, Kaito rescued his banana from Shinichi’s arms and promptly stole the dreaded Kid Cat before Shinichi could claim him. “Banana Conan, meet your soulmate Kid Cat. May the two of you live in happily plushie bliss for the rest of your lives.” Smushing the two plushies together, Kaito made kissing noises that had Shinichi slapping a hand to his face.

_It’s not cute_ , Shinichi growled inwardly at his own treacherous mind which was determinedly shouting the opposite. Kaito was embarrassing and absurd, yet Shinichi felt the butterflies dance in his heart anyway. He was completely lost on this fool and had not even the faintest clue how to handle it.

Relieved when Kaito finally laughed so hard at his own jokes that he couldn’t continue them, Shinichi linked his finger in Kaito’s pocket. Tugging once, Shinichi nodded his head toward the ride he had spotted earlier, watching realization dawn on Kaito’s face.

“Tunnel of Love, huh?” Kaito asked, plopping the cat into Shinichi’s arms while he circled around him to prop his chin on Shinichi’s shoulder. “You just want to get me in the dark…. And hopefully not to murder me.” He batted his eyelashes rapidly and poked out his bottom lip, smiling when he saw change in Shinichi’s focus as it landed on Kaito’s mouth.

“No murder…” Shinichi whispered, leaning in as if to kiss Kaito and then turning away at the last second. “Come on, let’s go.”

Leaving Kaito standing with his mouth hanging open, Shinichi trotted to the back of the line and waited for Kaito to catch up.

 

* * *

 

 

If the heart-shaped boats weren’t cheesy enough, the singing cats and floating hearts were there to cement the cheesiness of the love-themed ride. The boat rocked slightly on its unstable course through shallow water, forcing Shinichi and Kaito to slide together in the middle of the bench seat.

Not that they would have chosen to be anywhere else. The high back of the heart seat gave them a certain level of privacy that they immediately took advantage of as soon as the boat passed into the ride’s tunnel. Shinichi had timed the boats as they had waited in line, noting that they would have exactly five minutes and sixteen seconds inside of the ride before being deposited back to the outside world. Kaito had roughly estimated the possibility of at least fifty kisses in that time, his brain short-circuiting when Shinichi had responded “or just one really good one” before dropping onto the floating bench.

Behind them, their plushies were turned toward the red wall, a decision Kaito had made that caused Shinichi to roll his eyes. He didn’t have time to dwell on the thought though, his mind melting into uselessness at the first press of Kaito’s lips.

God how he had missed this feeling. Kaito’s hands were firm where they pressed his desire against Shinichi’s body, making Shinichi burn with a need that couldn’t be fulfilled within their five minute time constraint. Every time Kaito kissed him, there was a screaming demon in Shinichi’s mind begging for more.

Breaking the kiss, Kaito rested his forehead on Shinichi’s shoulder, small pants of his breath mixing with Shinichi’s in their shared space. Every time he was this close to Shinichi, Kaito felt the walls of cynicism crumble from around his heart. He had always hesitated to speak freely about his feelings, but with Shinichi those hesitations evaporated with more magical strength than any of Kid’s disappearing acts. Burning from the inside out, Kaito curled his fingers in the back of Shinichi’s head and let himself spill all the romantic musings that always crept into his mind when they were alone.

“I love you, you know that…” It wasn’t posed as a question, because Kaito didn’t need an answer. Shinichi’s love existed in everything he did, even when he was callously throwing Kaito into the arms of the law or blowing up his motorcycle. Shinichi said the words rarely, but Kaito always heard them anyway.

Surging up for another kiss, Kaito only let himself fall a little bit, the need to continue his hundredth round of confessing too strong to ignore. “You’re supposed to be the good guy, the one that captures the thief. Instead you’ve stolen my whole heart, Shinichi, and I never want it back.” Kaito swallowed hard when he felt Shinichi’s hand quiver over the back of his neck.

“I guess that means you’ve turned _me_ into the thief.” Emotions were never Shinichi’s strong point, and his mind tried to remind him of the relationship he had ruined due to his most major character flaw. Shaking the past from his mind, he slid himself closer to Kaito, trying to settle the tremble in his hands as he cupped Kaito’s cheeks. “I’m not giving it back.” Searching Kaito’s eyes, bright despite the darkness around them, Shinichi felt his determination flare. “You’ve made me a thief and now you have to live with the consequences. My love, my adoration… it’s always going to be yours.”

Whimpering, Kaito threw himself in Shinichi’s arms feeling more emotional than he should have allowed himself to be. His hands scrambled over Shinichi’s back, desperate to hold him closer and willing to let their make-out time slip away if it allowed him the beauty of Shinichi’s confession.

“So much for kissing,” Shinichi sniffed, burying his face in Kaito’s shoulder. Allowing himself to be open with someone, accepting that Kaito knew all the details of his life in a way no one else could, made him feel exposed. Giving up his constant need for strength and letting Kaito hold him in these moments of softness had been Shinichi’s greatest struggle. Yet, he was here, in the arms of a man who loved him despite all of his complications, and Shinichi couldn’t help being convinced that it had all been worth it.

Noise broke through their bubble of sweetness, lights dancing in front of them as their boat approached the exit of the tunnel. The real world existed outside of this moment, and Shinichi felt a twinge of bitterness as his senses were assaulted once again by the intrusive brightness of the thrumming carnival.

Standing from the boat, Kaito offered Shinichi his hand, his eyes soft and his smile crooked in his delight. He would take the stomach ache and the injustice of Kid Cat all over again if it led to Shinichi’s hushed confessions inside of the love boat. Not wanting to let the feeling slip away, Kaito guided Shinichi toward another ride that would provide ample cuddle time.

Stopping dead in his tracks, Shinichi stared between Kaito and the destination he was clearly gunning for. “A Ferris wheel… really?” He spoke through gritted teeth and waited while Kaito stared at him in confusion. “Honestly, when have I ever…. I mean EVER… had a good experience with a Ferris wheel.” Kaito’s obvious amusement made Shinichi’s indignation ignite.

“Conan, Conan is that you?” Kaito tauntingly whispered, raising his eyebrow as Shinichi’s glare became more potent. “Don’t be a baby, I’ll protect you.” Pushing a stubborn Shinichi forward, Kaito rolled his eyes at the heaviness Shinichi was purposely adding to his own body.

“We’ve had a good night…” Shinichi argued, increasing his own dead weight and pressing back on Kaito’s hands. “Given my extensive failed history with rides of this nature, perhaps we shouldn’t test the odds on this one.” Nearly toppling to the ground, Shinichi caught himself on Kaito’s shoulder when Kaito abruptly let him go.

“No one knows we’re here.” Placing his hands on Shinichi’s hips, Kaito searched his boyfriend’s eyes in an attempt to understand his hesitation. “For once, you don’t have anyone to protect, or fight for, or arrest…”

“You.” The word came out with a force Shinichi hadn’t intended and he barely resisted clamping a hand over his mouth. Resigned to explaining himself when Kaito’s eyes went soft and curious, Shinichi chose to stare at the face of his cat while speaking.

“You… you don’t worry as much… because luck seems to be on your side. The escapades you pull off defy logic…. But all I am is logic.” Hearing the defeated tone in his words, Shinichi sighed. “Logic is what put a target on my back. And no matter what form I’m in, I’m not safe. I did that to myself… but I don’t… I couldn’t… I won’t…” Clenching his jaw, Shinichi tried to fight the fingers Kaito placed under his jaw. “I won’t put you in danger.”

“Shinichi…” Kaito’s heart ached at Shinichi’s words, a different sort of ache than he had experienced inside the tunnel of love. This man, this devoted, stoic, and brave man, loved him in ways that Kaito was positive he didn’t deserve. Still, Kaito loved Shinichi equally in all of those ways and refused to let Shinichi’s doubts and worries continue to follow them around.

Curling his fingers around Shinichi’s wrist, Kaito stepped determinedly toward the Ferris wheel, nodding to the attendant before sitting them both in a car. He could feel Shinichi’s heartbeat racing where his fingertips were pressed on Shinichi’s pulse point, and he lifted it delicately to press a kiss there.

“You’re not alone, you know.” Settling his banana next to him, Kaito took Shinichi’s hand again to fiddle with his fingers. “I know for a long time you were. I know… you had help… and people who _knew_ , but you and me… we’re different. Equals. Even if we spend half our time on different sides of the law.” Kicking his feet, Kaito gave Shinichi a chance to breathe, his eyes facing out over the horizon instead of in the direction of his whole world.

Watching Kaito’s slender fingers play over his quaking hand, Shinichi let Kaito’s words loop in his mind. The last time he had tried to love someone, he had been doomed from the beginning, destined to spend all of his time lying and reassuring in equal measure. They had been destined for heartbreak and in the end, the only fair choice had been for Shinichi to walk away.

With Kaito, there were no lies. He knew who Shinichi was, both here and when Shinichi would returned to his cursed smaller form. Their love was different when they were disguised as other people, but it was always there, running like a current of supportive energy that never left them.

With Kaito, the reassurance wasn’t one-sided. Shinichi wasn’t constantly required to confirm his feelings or feeling pressured for proof. The feelings between them existed as naturally as breathing and they spent time catching each other from their various falls, always ready to help the other back to their feet.

Their love had blossomed out of the ugliest part of Shinichi’s life, and had grown in the shadows of the double lives that they both survived. Yet it flourished, strong and bright in a way that neither of them had expected. Balance held them together, as did their shared fierceness in their determination to hold onto the one thing that was truly beautiful in their lives.

As the Ferris wheel clicked upward, Shinichi felt his nervousness settle. He focused on the warmth of Kaito’s body at his side and the beauty of Kaito’s face as he peered out over the carnival’s lights. This spectacular man, who always kept him guessing and never let Shinichi become complacent in any aspect of his life, and who had chosen to love Shinichi at a time when loving him should have been impossible, was there because he wanted to be. Kaito had accepted the complications and restrictions of loving Shinichi without a fight, happily enjoying every minute they got, even when those minutes were few and far between. Shinichi didn’t deserve him, and he said this thought out loud, knowing that Kaito wouldn’t let it go without a fight.

Twisting in his seat, Kaito laughed nervously as their cart swayed. Placing his hand on Shinichi’s cheek, Kaito let the rest of the world fall away, his eyes only looking at the man in front of him. “You deserve all that’s good in this world. And together, we’ll find a way for you to have it.”

Unable to form a response around the lump in his throat, Shinichi kissed Kaito instead, letting his heart pour into the kiss in hopes that Kaito would understand. His faith that Kaito would know, reassured him as they spent the rest of their time lost in the feeling of each other, ignoring the movement of the wheel and lingering in the moment for as long as they could.

* * *

 

 

Four more rides, nine more games, and three fried desserts later, Shinichi could feel a pleasant fatigue settling over his mind. His day had started at sunrise, and his body was slowly losing the battle with his consciousness as the hours of the night grew later.

Encouraging Shinichi to rest his head on his shoulder, Kaito kissed the wild spike of Shinichi’s hair line. “You’re tired, we should get you back.” Feeling the sadness weigh on him, Kaito turned his eyes to the welcome sign of the carnival. “But first… let’s take a picture.”

Nudging Shinichi as he groaned his protest, Kaito pulled his phone from his pocket. Tapping the ear of Shinichi’s cat, Kaito smiled. “Make sure our children are in it!” He clicked the shutter button and immediately burst out laughing at the look of disdain captured on Shinichi’s face.

“Want to try that again, grumpus?” He grinned when Shinichi’s shoulders slumped.

Leaning into Kaito’s side, Shinichi purposely made his smile horrifying, breaking his false grumpiness when Kaito began to laugh in earnest. He loved the sound of Kaito’s laugh and took a second to burn the musical nature of it into his memory. Tucking his head toward Kaito’s face, Shinichi stole a kiss and smiled when Kaito muttered “hey that’s my move.” Circling Kaito’s waist with his arm, Shinichi nodded toward Kaito’s forgotten phone and smiled his most genuine smile.

The shutter noise clicked again when Kaito’s lips met his, capturing a blurry kiss between them in which both of their smiles were evident. They flipped through the pictures together, Kaito blushing when all of his sneakily taken pictures of Shinichi throughout their night were discovered by his boyfriend.

“They’re my moments,” he explained, thumb flicking through the pictures while Shinichi snorted in his ear. “I wanted to keep them, in case… well in case it’s a long time before we can steal more.”

The softness of Kaito’s words made tears threaten to gather in Shinichi’s eyes. His emotions were never this free with anyone else in his life, and Shinichi could feel another splinter in the already widening cracks of his defensive walls. Holding his boyfriend close, Shinichi bit his lip to keep his tears from spilling over, taking calming breaths to steady himself.

Above them, the announcer declared the carnival hours over, thanking the guests for attending and not so politely demanding that they leave.

Standing under the entryway, Kaito told himself not to ask Shinichi to come with him. The time Shinichi could remain himself was so limited and Kaito knew that Shinichi would be in pain when it inevitably ran out. He couldn’t bear the thought of Shinichi being alone through it, and voiced this opinion into the hollow of Shinichi’s neck as he clung to him.

Shinichi could count his weaknesses on one hand, but taking up at least two of those fingers would be the man trembling in his arms. A thief who had stolen Shinichi’s heart, who had given Shinichi the chance of living his fullest life in small pockets of gifted time.

Because truly that was their relationship, a love built from moments stolen from the reality that chased them. A bond that helped them survive when the world wanted them to perish. In the end, it would be their love that saved them both, although they weren’t to that part of their story yet and they could only speculate about those future chapters.

What they would face in the coming days, or years if they were truly unlucky, could potentially rob them of any more moments like this one. If Shinichi had learned anything, it was that cherishing the good was never a waste of time.

When Kaito asked him again, broken in repressed sobs and shaking beneath Shinichi’s hands, he wasn’t in position to say no. Truthfully, he never wanted to. Nodding into Kaito’s shoulder, Shinichi welcomed Kaito’s company, for all the hours left that he could enjoy and the painful minutes in which he would pay for this freedom. Knowing Kaito was willing to be by his side for all of it was enough to spill the tears Shinichi had desperately tried to hold back.

Hand-in-hand, they left the quieting carnival behind, carrying with them another night of memories which real life couldn’t steal back. Together, they headed for Kaito’s home, ready to spend whatever time they had left adding to their safe of stolen happiness.

And when the morning came and Conan reappeared to bid a friendly goodbye to the world’s greatest thief, they would both cling to this night until they could steal another.

In their hearts they both knew that this was forever and that someday the moments of happiness and love would outnumber everything else. Their determination and undying support of each other would get them there.

And until then, they would continue to gather their stolen moments, treasuring each one of them and using them as the fuel they needed to keep going until they finally found freedom and a place where all that would matter was their happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like YOI, Voltron, Miraculous Ladybug or Daiya, please consider checking out my other [Ao3 works!!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva)
> 
> If you liked this Kaishin piece and want to send me a prompt to see more - please feel free to do so!! 
> 
> Thank you for reading this!!! And another huge thank you to my artist for inspiring it!!!


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